Does anyone remember this find/reward story ?

ZEE i also enjoy finding coins at the beach. They add up and pay for my toys. I have paid for a two week vacation with found money. I have only sold one of my ring finds but it more than paid for my Xcal and my Scoop. It all adds up. Plus i enjoy the hunt.

I detect for the pure anticipation and excitement of what's going to come out of the sand. Always have since I was a Mini Kob ! It's a hobby and many do ask when I'm out and about. But I have also done very well for myself over the years. I've had some think I'm dirt poor , offer me a soda or a sandwich. There are a few I'm aware of that try to make a living from detecting. Most all fail and revert to making videos or scam people out of $ with their woe-is-me tales.

If i quit detecting today, by far my favorite memory was my first ring return. Young couple (he PhD candidate, she in her last year of nursing school) playing in their back yard, lost her diamond ring throwing a ball, hunted with flashlights until exhaustion set in, she cries herself to sleep and then cries herself awake all am. I hook up with them late the next am thru LostMyStuff (before they went to a pay site), she wont come out of the house- still crying. The husband fills me in on the details. Just past the turn after my first pass, Bingo there it is.

He is Happy. Takes minutes to coax his wife out and when he gives her the ring she loses it and grabs me in a bear hug and wont let go. Now i am a sarcastic cynical person, but that level of joy and appreciation still does something to me when i think about it.

Anyway, they kept insisting on giving me a reward but theres No Way thats happening. Young couple starting out, both with obviously very bright futures ahead of them, No Way i'll take their money. But they wouldnt let me leave until i agreed. Finally, i said that if you really feel that you Must do something, just make a contribution to the favorite dog charity of your choice as i see you have a dog and i am a dog person. They said, ok but you are welcome to hunt our property any time forever. I thanked them and said give me a call when you buy that 1800s historical property and I'll be right over.

LMS#981.

I wish it was me but it’s not. My first ring return was in Tahoe. I accepted the reward for finding it. $150. The ring was my second scoop. The first target was a tent stake.

I hadn't heard that one but anyone who has been detecting a while probably has a few of their own. Here's my favorite one:
https://www.whiteselectronics.com/find/family-heirloom-find-and-return/
It's the only time I ever accepted a reward but I did have to make a special trip to the beach- a one hour drive in the middle of the night and working early the next day. I split the reward with a hunting buddy who told me about the Craigs List ad and the balance paid for my gas.